Everyone can relax during mass for kids with special needs

Lindsey Emory’s big brother Bryant sometimes acts a little differently from other children during Mass.

He might see something that grabs his attention and stare. He might hear a song he likes and start dancing in his pew.

And occasionally, when Bryant, 12, who is autistic, behaves that way during church, people stare.

That doesn’t happen, however, at the Special Needs Ministry Mass at St. Luke Parish in Long Valley, Lindsey said.

“(The Mass) makes me feel happy, not just for me, but for Bryant, too,” said 9-year-old Lindsey. The shortened Mass, held once a month, helps Bryant “learn how Mass works,” she said.

“The special-needs Mass makes Bryant very happy, and I think he thinks that he fits in well, and he has a lot of fun there, and he really doesn’t ever want to leave,” she said.

St. Luke Parish in Long Valley is one of area several houses of worship that have created worship services catering to members of their religious communities who have special needs. The emphasis, in most cases, are the littlest members and the families that worship with them.

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About The Author

Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts is founder of Support for Special Needs and has been a regular contributor since its inception in May 2010. A mom to two kids with special needs, she didn't want other parents to feel what is the often isolating world of raising a child (or two!) with disabilities. Her kids had kidney transplants at the age of eight and will need liver transplants in the future as a result of ARPKD/CHF. They both have vision disorders and learning disabilities.